Lateral-field excitation resonators are generally known and conventionally comprise a piezoelectric crystal resonator plate having a single pair of electrode segments formed on a major surface of the resonator plate. The electrode segments are linearly aligned and are separated by a narrow gap across which is generated an electric driving field by the application of an excitation voltage applied to the electrode extremities at the peripheral edge of the resonator plate. The properties of the conventional lateral-field excitation resonator are determined by the direction and dimensions of the gap between the electrode segments and thus are fixed at values determined by the electrode geometry.